Ballistic Kiss (Sandman Slim 11)

“She has a friend she sees sometimes too. We worked it out that as long as we’re honest we can sometimes see special people.”

I give her a mock-smug smile.

“I’m a special person?”

“Special jerk is more like it, but yeah.”

“People are really complicated.”

She looks at the sky.

“That’s what makes it so great.”

“Janet is complicated. More than I first thought.”

Candy reaches over and takes my hand.

“Before you go on, promise me one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m with Alessa and you’re seeing Janet, and all that’s fine. But please promise me that whatever happens with anybody else, we’re always us. Connected. Can you do that?”

I look at her. Her eyes are still on the screen.

“You know I can.”

“Then say it.”

“Whatever else happens there’s always us. Like you said when we first met, we’re the funny little people . . .”

“. . . who live in the cracks in the world,” she says, and finally looks at me. “Thanks.”

“Besides, who understands a monster more than another monster?”

I lean over to her and we kiss for a while.

When we come up for air, Flicker is standing by the car.

“Have you two got a minute?”

“Hi, Flicker,” says Candy. “You should come by the store on Friday. My band is playing.”

“Cool,” she says. “I’ll do that.”

Then she looks at me.

“I have something for you.”

Flicker hands me what looks like a small bundle of herbs, but it’s too heavy for that.

“You serve salads at the snack bar now?” I say.

“No, smartass,” says Flicker. “It’s a distraction. If you want to talk to Stein alone or just corral all the Stay Belows, use the bundle. But get rid of it fast. It’s nothing poisonous, but there’s a stick of magnesium at the center. That stuff burns as bright as the sun. It’ll attract any Stay Belows in the area.”

“This is great. Thanks.”

“Of course.”